If you’ve ever felt the hot burst of air from an exhaust pipe “whoosh” past your face and thought to yourself “yeah… that can’t be great for me” then congratulations son, for the first time in your life, you got something right. A typical urban outing can often include second hand smoke, inhaling car exhausts or the ever so charming blast of a hot sewer grate. Combined with the unavoidable sweat we all get from the outdoor heat, it’s no secret that the city smog isn’t doing your ugly mug any favour.

“City smog increases inflammation and irritation, which accelerates skin ageing and leaves it more vulnerable to damage,” says Dr Selvam Rengasamy, a licensed medical practitioner with over 30 years of experience. “And we’re dealing with a new degree of pollution we haven’t had to deal with before.”

Are you paying attention yet? The pores of a person exposed to air pollutants can be clogged by a number of nasty things like dust, dirt and smog. The result? Skin acne, ageing skin and a dull appearance. And no, you can’t just avoid polluted air, but with these carefully curated DEFY skincare solutions, there are steps you can take now to keep air pollution from wreaking complete havoc on your complexion, and they are packed into two mega-handy bottles.

Get Cleanin’

Yes – you actually have to get all that gunk off your skin, and no – we don’t mean with soap and water. Pollution is made up of particles that are 20 times smaller than the diameter of your skin’s pores, which means you need something that will quite literally remove any trace of pollution. Boys, meet the DEFY Dirt Fighter. This no-nonsense cleanser scrubs out all the dirt and grime from your skin. With just one bottle, you have a cleanser, a mild exfoliator, and shaving cream, all powered by NVIRO-P, an exclusive combination of active ingredients that protects your skin from environmental damage by destroying bacteria, toning your skin and reducing wrinkles, leaving your complexion smooth, even and protected!

Respect your Barrier

If you protect your skin the right way, the harsh effects of the city pollution will not penetrate through to your skin as deeply. You need to up your pollution-protecting game by using a concentrated serum which can counteract the effect of daily stressors, and that’s where DEFY’s Youth Tonic comes in. DEFY Youth Tonic gives your mug of a face a lift with anti-ageing ingredients that common moisturisers just don’t have room for. It is your new all-in-one product that is wrinkle reducing, anti-ageing, and an aftershave. It uses TRI-GENICS, a combination of three potent wrinkle fighting peptides, reducing your fine lines and creating a powerful protective barrier between you and that city smog.

Guzzle, Guzzle

Drink more water, boy! I know your mum has drilled that phrase into your head by now, but the woman has a point! Instead of droning her subconscious voice out of your head, listen up and drink up to reap the benefits of H20. Drinking more water in general has an endless list of health benefits but it’s especially important if you live in a hazy city as the combination of smog, dirt and dust in the air can not only clog pores but also dehydrate you, making your skin look much drier and more wrinkled. Drinking more water hydrates your skin, increases cell production and flushes nasty toxins out of your system to keep your skin (and your entire body) looking young, healthy and refreshed.

Everyone knows that life in the city can be hard and sometimes a bit grimy, but you don’t have to live with pollution, toxins and free radicals in your skin. DEFY defenders are here to help, so stop making excuses for that grey complexion and enjoy city life to the fullest!